Aggregate feed apparatus for concrete block machines



J. E. KOVACH June 24, 1958 Filed Feb. 10, 1955 INVENTOR.

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AGGREGATE FEED APPARATUS FOR CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINES A 1- Tamw; r5

United s s Paten ic 1 AGGREGATE FEED APPARATUS FOR CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINES John E. Kovach, Nutley, NQJ), assignor. to Bergen Machine &'Tool C0,, 111C. Nu'tley, 'N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 10, 1955, Serial Nb. 487,437

This invention relates to improvements in machines for making blocks, particularly concrete and cinder blocks.

The invention is concerned more especially with the molds of .such machines and with the apparatus for feeding aggregate from a hopper to the molds.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved means for fillingthe mold of Va block-making machine, and for cutting 01f the aggregate at the right height across the top of the mold. In accordance with. one feature of the invention, the aggregate is advanced from a feed hopper to the mold by means of grid plates which serve the purpose of the conventional feed drawer.

Another object of the invention is .to provide an improved construction for a block-making machine at the mold box. One feature relates'to the control ofexcess aggregate around the top edge of the mold; and another feature relates, to the supporting of cores within the mold from columns which extend through the stripper head of the machine. This construction eliminates the necessity for the conventional core bar and makesit possible to ha g e mold more uniformly c s ts full width,

of the apparatus. There are stationary sides 17 extending upwardly fromthe side edges of the plate 16 for preventing transverse displacement of aggregate located between the grid plates 12.

The block-making machine has a mold box 20. Within the mold box 20 there are three molds 21, best shown inFigure 2. These molds, which provide cavitiesinto which the aggregate is charged, have side walls 23 includingcommon walls separating adjacent mold cavities from one another. End walls 25 .of the molds 21 are of the same height asthe side Walls 23 of the molds, and

there is a top plate 27 extending away from the top edges of the molds 21 in all directions at a level flush with the plate 16 on which the aggregate rests.

A plain pallet, 29 is held against the open bottom of the molds 21 during the time that the molds are being filled and while the aggregate is being settled in the molds. The pellet receivers for bringing the pallet into position under the mold-and subsequently removing it during the stripping operation .is not illustrated in the drawing because this mechanism is, well known in the art and no v howing of it is necessary for a complete understanding of this inv nti n 7 There are cores 32 located in the various molds 21. There are two of these cores 32 in each of the molds shown in Figure 2,; and 'in the front end of each mold there an additional core 34 which provides a recess in the. end face of the block. There is another end core 34 at the back end of thethird mold shown in Figure 2, but the other two molds make blocks which have no recess at the it end of the mold, such blocks being used for cornersfin cinder block walls. There might be more or; less n wo cores in e ch avi yand makes possible the use of stripper shoes which do not have to be split to accommodate the core bar and produce a more perfect block.

Another object of the invention is to'pr'ovide apparatus for molding more uniform blocks by haVingVibIjMQD mechanism within the cores. This is a particularly'eliecr tive way for settling the aggregate uniformly and quickly within the molds; and with the core supporting columns of this invention, the driving mechanisms for the vibrators can extend down through hollowcolumns. The hollow columns provide free air to the cores soother means of venting the core is not necessary to eliminate vacuum caused during withdrawal of cores from the concrete,

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the description proceeds.

In the drawing, forming a part hereof, in which like reference characters indicate. corresponding parts in all the views: p v

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, mostly in section, showing the improved feeding, molding and vibrating apparatus of this invention;

which 7 The end cores 34 are rigidly secured to the end walls of the'molds; but the other cores 32 are supported by ineanswhich do not interfere'with the molding and strippins of, h b ckscoresjcorresponding to the cores 32 have been supported by; ars extending lengthwise across the top of each mold. These core bars have had several disadvantages, One is that the core bar is in the path of the aggregate dropping intothe space between the cores and the end walls of the mold; and another disadvantage is that the core bars h "been in the way of the stripper head and have reqp red that stripper head he made with split shoes for extending down on opposite sides of the core bar. This has made the part of each block, which is under the core FigureZ is a diagrammatic, perspectiv explodedview of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged, sectional view through 0 50f the core molds showing vibrator meclmnism within the core molds. f v I The apparatus shown in Figure 1 includes a hopper 10 for holding aggregate. from which 'the blocks are to be molded. A plurality of grid plates 12 are connected at theirupper ends to bars 14, Aggregate 15 falls down th oug h m uth a th bo tom of t e ho per ,0. nd into the spaces between the grid plates 12. Atj'their' lower ends,,t he grid plates. 12. extend close to thetopj surface of a stationary plate 16' on which the aggregate;

tes s, a d. th e pl lls t e as h blades .f P h e ag ga b k. and q' i rq s h P t 1 ll. 4 be more fully explained in connection with the operation bar, out of reachpf direct contact of the stripper shoe du ing a blo k m l ing Ope i n- "This invention eliminates the necessity of core bars by having each core 32 connected to a column 40 which extends upwardly through an appropriate opening in a stripper head42. Figure 2 shows these columns 40 extending throngh the core openings of a stripper shoe 44 atthe. werend of. the stripper head 42, and shows the strippe lead with openings 46 through which the columns 4Qextet d- I For .clearer illustration, Figure 2 shows only one tripper shoe 44 for the left-hand mold 21, but it will heunderstood that the stripper head 42 has similar v stripper shoes 44 located over each of the other molds 21 Also for clearer illustration, only two of the cores respect to the mold boxin a manner well understood in the art, but the columns 42 remain at fixed levels and they are so held by a frame 50 located above the stripper head 42. This frame 50 is I merely representative of some fixedfsupportf-on the main frame of the blockmaking machine;

In machines of the prior art, the' a 3 When the cores 32 are to be equipped with the core vibrator feature of this invention, there is a drive shaft 52 extending downwardly through each of the hollow columns 40, and there. are pulleys 54 at the upper ends 'ofthe driveshafts 52; These pulleys 54 are driven by belts'from a driving pulley 56 on "the armature shaft of 'an electric motor 58 carried by the frame 50. These pulleys 54 and 56, together with the motor 58, are merely representative of power means for rotating the drive shafts 52.

Figure 3 is a'diagrammatic illustration of the vibrator mechanism within one of the mold cores 32. Each column 40 is screwed into a counter bore 60 at the top of 'the mold core 32; and the'drive shaft 52 extends downwardly through a bearing 62 within the core. The lower end of the drive shaft 52 extends into another bearing 64 in a bottom wall 65 of the core 32. On the drive shaft 52, between the bearings 62 and64,'there is an eccentric weight 67 secured to the drive shaft, and in the construction illustrated, there are thrust bearings 69 both above and below the eccentric weight 67;

When the drive shaft 52 is rotating, the eccentric weight 67 causes vibration of the core 32, and there is enough elasticity in the column'40 to permit the limited movement necessary for the vibration in directions transverse of the longitudinal axis of the column 40 and drive shaft 52. Other kinds of vibrators can be located within the core 32. i The feeding of the aggregate to the molds 21 is ac complished by. advancing the plates 14 toward the left in Figure 1 so that the grid plates 12 push the aggregate across the stationary plate 16 and across the topplate 27 of the mold box and over the molds 21. The depth of the spaces between the grid plates 12 is suflicient' to supply the necessary depth of aggregate for filling the molds 21 with some excess of aggregate remaining up between the grid plates 12 after the molds are filled.

is operated back and forth in conventional block making machines which use .a feed drawer for conveying aggregate from a hopper toia mold box. In contrast to the usual mold charging apparatus with a single strike off bar, all of the grid plates 12 of this invention, except those farthest back, strike .olfexcess material from above the mold as the grid plates 12 move back to position to receive a new charge of aggregate from the hopper.

When the aggregate feed has moved back to its original position under the hopper 10, the stripper head .42 descends and brings the stripper shoes 44 into contact with the blocks. It is "usual to continue the vibration of the mold for a short time after the stripper shoes are in contact with the top of the block, and with the present invention this vibration includesthe vibration of the cores 32 as already described. The machine can have other vibrating mechanism similar to that commonly employed for vibrating a mold, but it is not necessary with the vibrating cores of this invention since they serve to settle the material and to compact it against the sides of. the mold. The vibration applied from inside the block by the cores 32 urges the aggregate outwardly against the smooth sides of the mold to produce a better block than is obtained when the sides'of the mold are being vibrated.

The stripping of the block from each mold 21 is accomplished in much the same manner as with conventional plain pallet machines, except that the pressure applied to the top of the block is the pressure from a one-piece stripper shoe 44jinstead of a split shoe such as is commonly used because of the core bar extending longitudinally across thetop of each mold for holding the cores in place on machines of conventional construc- There are spaces 72 between the groups of grid plates 1 12 to provide clearance for the supporting columns 40. As the grid plates 12 move from under the hopper 10 (Figure 1) to'the left and over the mold 21, a plate 74, extending between the outside bars 14 (Figure2), passes under the hopper mouth so that no aggregate can fall lower ends of supporting links 80. This shaft 79 is Y rotated by a motor 82, indicated diagrammatically in Figure 2. The motor 82 runs continuously'while the grid plates are feeding aggregate to the mold and while the grid plates are located above the mold. Thisfrotation.

' In the operation of the apparatus of this invention, some quantity of aggregate, indicated in Figure l by the reference character 88, is often pushed across the part of the top plate 27 in front of the mold 21. In order to prevent accumulation of this aggregate, and eventual interference with the operation of the feeding apparatus, there is a frame 99 forming a fence around the, upper edges of the molds 21 and some distance back from the molds along the surface of the top plate 27. This frame has sides 92 which serve as continuations of the sides 17 for preventing transverse displacement of the aggregate during the 're,

ciprocating movement of the grid plates 12, but the sides 92., of frame 90-move through a limited stroke. The

' entire frame 90 is pulled back by an operating crank 93 tion of the eccentrics produces an orbital movement of f the bars 14 and grid plates 12. The grid plate assembly is reciprocated back and forth across the molds 21 by power applied to a shaft 84 in the directions indicated by the double arrow 85. A cam-actuated crank 86, shown in phantom in Figure 1, is a diagrammatic showing of the power means of the machine for operating the grid plates 12 on their feed stroke.

' During the time that the grid plates 12 are located over the molds 21, the motor 82agitates the grid plates 12,'as previously explained, and the motor which rotates the drive shaft 52, in the columns 40, causes vibration of the mold cores 32. This agitation and vibration causes the aggregate to settle in the molds to produce a block of uniform texture and strength.

The aggregate feed assembly which includes the agitator grid plates 12 is moved back and forthby power applied to the shaft 84 in the same way asfa feed drawer actuated by the. same cam means of the machine as oper-- portion'of theframe 90 in front of the mold serves as a blade for pulling aggregate back to the mold. By. reciprocating the frame 90' backfar'enough to dump the aggregate 88 into the mold, and then advancingthe frame 90 to its original position, the surface of the top plate 27 is kept free of aggregate built up with successive cycles of operation.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, but changesiand modifications can be made and some features can be used in different combinations without departing from the invention as defined in the claims. 7

What is claimed is: Y I

LA'bIOck-molding machine comprising a mold box, plates defining a mold cavity, a pallet closing the bottom of the mold cavity, a hopper for holding aggregate, a plate located under an opening at the bottom of the hopper, the plate being spaced from the hopper outlet, aggregate feed means comprising groups of bladesextending between the level of the hopper outlet and the i top of the plate which is below the hopper, the groups ture of the block molding machine, a top plate extending from the upper edge of the mold cavity at both ends thereof and being flush with the plate that extends under the hopper outlet, operating mechanism for moving the blades back and forth between positions under the hopper outlet and positions over the mold cavity, and means for eliminating accumulation of aggregate left on the top plate beyond the mold cavity by leakage of aggregate through the space between groups of blades, said means including a blade, independent of the groups of blades, located over the top plate of the mold at the end of the mold remote from the hopper, and different mo tion transmitting connections that reciprocate the groups of'blades through the full stroke from the hopper to the mold cavity and said blade through a shorter stroke to pull loose material from the top plate into the mold cavity before successive mold-filling strokes of the groups of blades.

2. The block-molding machine described inclaim 1 and in which there are automatic timing means for operating the different parts of the machine in a controlled succession of operations and in which there are elements extending upwardly from the level of the top plate at both ends of said blade and along opposite sides of the mold cavity at a short distance outward from the mold cavity for confining excess aggregate above the mold level against transverse displacement.

3. The block-molding machine described in claim 1 and in which the groups of blades are agitated with short strokes of reciprocating movement during their travel across the mold cavity, and there are relatively fixed side walls extending along the path traversed by the groups of blades for preventing transverse displacement of the aggregate from the groups of blades during their mold-filling operation.

4. A block-molding machine including a mold box having a mold cavity therein with side walls, a' pallet closing the bottom of the mold cavity, cores in the mold cavity free of the pallet and side walls of the cavity, a stripper head movable up and down with respect to the mold cavity, mold core supports connected with a fixed frame located above the stripper head, a hopper for holding aggregate, a surface located below and spaced from the hopper outlet and extending to the top edge of the mold cavity, aggregate feed means comprising groups of blades located between the hopper outlet and said surface and movable across the surface to propel aggregate to the mold cavity, the blades being spaced from one another transversely of their direction of travel so as to leave clearance for the core mold supports.

5. The block-molding machine described in claim 4 and in which the blades are located in a plurality of rows extending lengthwise of their direction of travel and opposite sides of each blade of each row are connected with a bar extending lengthwise of the row, and there are spaces between the bars substantially equal to the width 7 of the core supports so that the groups of blades can pass the core supports when moving forward on a feed stroke across the top of the mold cavity.

6. The block-molding machine described in claim 4 and in which the groups of blades operate between rela- 1 tively fixed side Walls which prevent transverse displacement of the aggregate from between the blades, common supporting means to which all of the blades are connected to form a blade assembly, and eccentric means for agitating the blades to impart a vibrating motion to them during their feeding stroke and while they are located above the mold cavity.

7. In a plain pallet block-molding machine having a mold with side walls and a pallet closing the bottom of the mold, a surface extending substantially horizontally from the top of the mold and under an outlet of an aggregate hopper, side walls extending along said surface to prevent transverse displacement of aggregate from the surface, cores within the mold free of the pallet and side walls of the mold, a frame located abovethe level of the top of the mold, supports for the cores extending upwardly therefrom and connected to the frame, a plurality of hoe blades that move back and forth across said surface from positions under the hopper to positions over the mold, the hoe blades being at a level below said frame and difierent hoe blades being on different sides of the core supports when the hoe blades are in advanced positions over the mold, vibrator means in the mold cores for vibrating the cores independently of the mold, power means extending downwardly through the core supports for driving the vibrator means in the cores, and other power vibrating means connected with the hoe blades for agitating the aggregate before it drops into the mold.

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